Geranium plant named ‘Regvel’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Regal  Geranium  plant named ‘Regvel’, characterized by its upright plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely basal branching habit; and large red purple-colored flowers.

Botanical designation: Pelargonium grandiflorum.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Regvel’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Regal Geranium plant, botanically known as Pelargonium grandiflorum, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Regvel’.

The new Regal Geranium is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Dresden, Germany. The objective of the breeding program was to develop new Regal Geraniums that did not require a cooling treatment for flower development.

The new Regal Geranium originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor during 2001 of two unidentified proprietary selections of Pelargonium grandiflorum, not patented. The cultivar Regvel was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a flowering plant within the progeny from the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Dresden, Germany in 2002.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal cuttings in a controlled environment in Dresden, Germany since 2002 has shown that the unique features of this new Regal Geranium are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Regvel’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Regvel’ as a new cultivar and distinguish it from other known Regal Geranium cultivars:

-   -   1. Upright plant habit.     -   2. Vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Freely basal branching habit.     -   4. Large red purple-colored flowers.     -   5. Does not require cooling treatment for flower development.

Plants of the new Regal Geranium differ primarily from plants of the parent selections in flower coloration.

Plants of the new Regal Geranium can be compared to plants of the cultivar Pacabla, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 16,754. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Dresden, Germany, plants of the new Regal Geranium differed from plants of the cultivar Pacabla in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Regal Geranium had smaller umbels and         flowers than plants of the cultivar Pacabla.     -   2. Plants of the new Regal Geranium had longer and more         pubescent pedicels than plants of the cultivar Pacabla.     -   3. Plants of the new Regal Geranium and the cultivar Pacabla         differed in flower coloration.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Flower and foliage colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Regvel Geranium. The photograph comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Regvel’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Plants of the cultivar Regal have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment, such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The aforementioned photograph, following observations and averaged measurements describe plants grown during the spring in 13-cm containers in Dresden, Germany, and under commercial practice in a glass-covered greenhouse with day temperatures about 18° C., night temperatures about 16° C. and light levels less than 60,000 lux. Plants used for the photograph and the description were about six months old. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Pelargonium grandiflorum cultivar Regvel. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Unidentified proprietary selection             of Pelargonium grandiflorum, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unidentified proprietary selection             of Pelargonium grandiflorum, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type cutting.—Terminal cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots.—Summer: About 12 days at 23° C.             Winter: About 14 days at 23° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant.—Summer: About 30 days             at 23° C. Winter: About 32 days at 23° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching, moderately dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   General appearance.—Upright plant habit; uniformly mounded;             inverted triangle; densely foliated.         -   Growth and branching habit.—Vigorous growth habit. Freely             basal branching habit with about eight lateral branches per             plant.         -   Plant height, to top of umbels.—About 30 cm.         -   Plants height, to top of foliar plane.—About 22 cm.         -   Plant width.—About 30 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 15 cm. Diameter: About 8 mm.             Internode length: About 1 to 2 cm. Texture: Pubescent.             Color: 144A.         -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate or opposite;             simple. Length: About 6 cm. Width: About 8 cm. Shape:             Cordate; palmately lobed. Apex: Acute. Base: Cordate; open.             Margin: Serrate to biserrate. Venation pattern: Palmate.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Slightly pubescent;             leathery. Color: Developing and fully expanded foliage,             upper surface: 137B; venation, 137B. Developing and fully             expanded foliage, lower surface: 137C; venation, 143C.             Petiole: Length: About 6 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm. Texture,             upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper and lower             surfaces: 144A. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower arrangement.—Rotate flowers arranged in rounded             hemispherical umbels arising from apical leaf axils. Umbels             displayed above the foliage on strong peduncles and flowers             on strong pedicels. Flowers face upright to outwardly.             Flowers not persistent. Flowers not fragrant.         -   Quantity of flowers.—About ten umbels per plant each umbel             with about four to six flower buds and open flowers.         -   Flowering season.—Year-round under greenhouse conditions. In             the garden in Dresden, Germany, flowering is continuous             during the spring and summer. Plants do not require a             cooling treatment for flower development.         -   Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last about one week on             the plant.         -   Umbel height.—About 5 to 6 cm. Umbel diameter: About 8 cm.             Flower diameter: About 4 cm. Flower depth (height): About 3             to 4 cm. Flower buds: Length: About 2.5 cm. Diameter: About             8 mm. Shape: Elliptic. Color: Darker than 59A. Petals:             Quantity per flower: About five to seven. Length: About             3.5 cm. Width: About 2 to 3 cm. Shape: Oval to obovate.             Apex: Rounded. Base: Cuneate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper             and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; satiny. Color: When             opening and fully opened, upper surface: Darker than 59A;             towards the margin, 46A; towards the base, 67A; venation,             darker than 59A; color becoming closer to 46A with             development. When opening and fully opened, lower surface:             53A; towards the base; 67A; venation, darker than 59A.         -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: Five, arranged in a single             whorl. Length: About 1.5 cm. Width: About 5 mm. Shape:             Lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper             and lower surfaces: 146C.         -   Peduncle (umbel stem).—Length: About 6 cm. Diameter: About             3 mm. Strength: Strong. Texture: Pubescent. Color: 146B.         -   Pedicel (individual flower stem).—Length: About 3 cm.             Diameter: About 1.5 mm. Strength: Strong. Texture:             Pubescent. Color: 146B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen quantity per flower:             About ten. Anther shape: Elliptic. Anther color: 73B. Pollen             amount: Abundant. Pollen color: Orange. Gynoecium: Pistil             quantity per flower: One. Pistil length: About 1.7 cm.             Stigma shape: Five-parted. Stigma color: Darker than 59A.             Style length: About 1 cm. Style color: Darker than 59A.             Ovary color: 146C.         -   Seed.—Length: About 2 to 3 mm. Diameter: About 1 mm. Shape:             Elliptic. Color: Brown. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Regal Geranium have not     been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Regal     Geraniums. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Regal Geranium have been     observed to tolerate rain, wind, and temperatures ranging from 10 to     25° C. 

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Regal Geranium plant named ‘Regvel’, as herein illustrated and described. 